Versus

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream Versus Balea Eye Cream Urea (5%)

Eye Moisturizer
Eye Moisturizer
American Brand United States
German Brand Germany

Updated on February 03, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe eye moisturizers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream 41 ingredients

Balea Eye Cream Urea (5%) 41 ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream 41 ingredients

Balea Eye Cream Urea (5%) 41 ingredients

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Eye Repair Cream
Eye Cream Urea (5%)

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Masking, Skin Conditioning

This ingredient is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin
Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol
Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

When to use

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream 41 ingredients

Balea Eye Cream Urea (5%) 41 ingredients

1,515 Routines
46% use in am
54% use in pm
97% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
19 Routines
42% use in am
58% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream 41 ingredients

2.5 /5
from 11 ratings
No Scent (4) Irritating (4) Hydrating (3)
PatriciaTh's avatar

PatriciaTh

1 year ago
Review

I guess it improved my under eyes a bit, but not nearly enough to make me repurchase it. I get watery eyes when I get tired and it stung my eyes every night so I would have to dry it of with a paper towel and I would even feel it the next night too even though I didn't use it that day.

#great value
#hydrating
#irritating
ClaireEstelle's avatar

Claire L.

12 months ago
Review

This was a bust - I usually like CeraVe products but this consistently stung my eyes when I used it. I had to toss it, it never got better. Two stars for hydrating the eye area once the stinging stopped.

#irritating
#no scent

Balea Eye Cream Urea (5%) 41 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 rating
Doesn't Work (1) Heavy (1) No Scent (1)
michelle_mabelle's avatar

Michelle MaBelle

8 months ago
Review

TL;DR: German brand, European only. Great it has urea, but didn't do much for me. Just meh.

I think I got this on Amazon without realizing this was a German brand and my partner could just pick it up for me. I was looking specifically for an eye cream containing urea, and this fit the bill. However, it's really not the best or worst eye cream I've tried. It can sting if you have a damaged skin Show more

#heavy
#no scent
#doesn't work